Mechanical spinning top



April: 28, 1925.

J. A\ SOUTHWELL MECHANICAL SPINNING TOP Filed March 30, 1925 [Ill 3mm JiJ'oaiZ'well I II I Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. SOUIH'WELL, SGRANTON, IENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNO'B, OF ONE-HALF .TO

' CHARLES F. FLETCHER, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ivrnonmvroat srnvnrne TOP.

Application filed rllal'ch 30, 1923. Serial 110.628,?87.

To all whom may concern.

Be it known that JOHN A. SoU'rHwnLL, a citizen or the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Laclrawanna and State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Spinning Tops,of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to an improved mechanical spinning top.

The principal 'object of the invention is to provide a top wherein the string or other element which, when unwound, winds the spinning mechanism, is automatically rewound as the top spins. v

A further ob 'ect of the invention is to provide a mechanical spinning top embodying the above features, that is simple in construction, strong and durable and which, it is believed may be manufactured at a low cost.

In the drawings Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation'showing my invention in its preferred embodiment.

Fig. 2, is a view in vertical section of the spinning mechanism and the upper part of the top and frame, the parts being shown lfl the position they assume when the top spins with its lower end downward.

Fig. 3, is a-view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position they assume when the top is spun with the upper part clownward. p

Fig. 1, is a horizontal sectional view taken on line ir-e of Fig. 1.

In describing my invention in detail designates the top proper, that is the spinning body of the device that is preferably spherical in shape and which may be constructed of any suitable or desirable material. At diametrically opposite points the body 10 is equipped with pivot members 11 and 12 whose free ends are tapered to form pivot points 13 and 14.

A skeleton frame work 15' is arranged about the body 10 as shown in 1, the lower portion being provided with a taperedopening 16 that forms a seat for the pivot member 12 and through which the tapered end 141 thereof projects. The upper part of the frame work is provided with an extended portionl'l' that is provided with an opening 18 forming a bearing for the )lVOi) member 11 and which carries a base member 19 provided with the tapered socket 20 to receive the tapered end 13 of pivot member 11 which projects through opening 18 of the extension 17. The frame 15 may also be provided with a handle 21 to facilitate operation of the device.

Adjacent its connection with the body 10, pivot member 11 isprovided with an angularly projecting tooth member 22. Above the tooth member, a sleeve 23 is loosely mounted on the pivot member 11 andat its lower end is provided with a slanting recess 24l adapted to receive the tooth member 22 thereby locking the sleeve and the pivot member when the sleeve is turned in one direction. A coil spring 25 has one end fixed to the extension 17 of the 'frameas at 26 and has its other end bent to format tooth member 27 that seats in a longitudinal slot 28 of the sleeve 23. Consequently it will be observed that when the sleeve 23 is rotated in one direction the coil spring 25 will-be wound or tensioned but that the sleeve may be slid longitudinally on the pivot member 11 when the spring is in its normal position without becoming disengaged therefrom. Circular flanges 29 and 30 are provided on the sleeve as shownin Figures 1 and 2 and which serve the purpose that will. presently appear.

A cord or other flexible member has one end fastened to the sleeve 23 as by a connection to flange 29 as shown at 31. is normally wound on the sleeve between flange 29 and the spring 25 and has its free end passed through an opening 32 in the extension 17 A head or other suitable device 33 may be carried on the freeend ol' the cord.

When the top is to be wound it is held in a position shown in Fig. 1. The operator grasps the handle 21 in one hand and pulls the cord with the other. As the cord is unwound sleeve .13 will be rotated thereby tensioning the spring 25 without rotating the body member 10. hen the cord is re leased, the slantingrecess 2 1 of thesleeve receives the tooth member 22 of pivot mem' ber 11 and as the spring 25 returns to a normal position it rotates the sleeve, thus spinning the body 10 but also causing the cord to become rewound on the sleeve. By the time the cord is fully rewound the spring will have returned to its normal position so that the sleeve will stop rotating without impeding spinning of the body 10..

The cord When the body 10 spins as has just been described the sleeve assumes the position shown in detail in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. How ever the device may be inverted after the member 10 has started spinning whereby the sleeve 23 will assume its downwardmost position entirely out of engagement with the tooth member 22 of the pivot member 11, such as shown in Fig. 3.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a device of the character described a skeleton frame, a spherical body within said frame, pivot members carried at diametrically opposite points on said body, a base member carried by said frame provided with a socket to receive the free end of one of said pivot members, said frame being provided with an opening forming a bearing for the other pivot member, the free end of said last named pivot member projecting through and externally of said frame, a sleeve slideably mounted on said first named pivot member means carried by first named pivot memher and said sleeve to cause said pivot menr her and sleeve'to operate together in one direction, acoil spring, one end of said coil spring being fixed to said frame, a tooth member at the other end of said spring, said sleeve being provided with a longitudinal slot to receive said tooth member whereby when said sleeve is rotated said spring will be wound, a cord having one end fixed to said sleeve and Wound about said sleeve whereby when said cord is unwound said sleeve will be rotated so as to wind said spring and when said cord is released said spring will rotate said sleeve to impart a spinning movement to said top and to rewind said cord on said sleeve.

2. A mechanical spinning top comprising a support frame, a top mounted in said frame for rotary movement therewithin, an operating cord, a rotatable sleeve to which the said cord is attached and on which it is adapted to wind and unwind, a winding spring connected to the said sleeve so as to become wound as the sleeve is rotated by the unwinding of the cord, said spring unwinding to rotate the said sleeve for rewinding the cord thereon when the latter is released, and a driving connection between the said sleeve and the said top, including clutch means operating to place the sleeve in driving relation with the top only when the sleeve is rotated by the unwinding of the said spring.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

JOHN A. SOUTHVVELL. 

